What do you think?
Rate this book
Luther's Large Catechism with Study Questions
This edition of Luther’s Large Catechism with Study Questions is the translation of Luther’s Large Catechism found in Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. A visually appealing summary of Christian doctrine, this Catechism includes study questions that refer back to the text. Whether you are looking for devotional material or a deeper examination of Luther’s Catechism, this book allows you to further explore the Holy Scripture.
Features:
- A summary of Christian doctrine, as well as devotional and instructional materials about the Christian faith
- Study questions that allow you to further examine, reflect upon, and delve into the text
- A study that directs readers directly back to the text of the Large Catechism (not a lesson plan for a teacher)
- Laypeople and students who are looking for a deeper exploration of Luther’s Large Catechism will appreciate this expanded edition. It provides the perfect way to dig deeper, learn, and reflect on Luther’s words in terms that anyone can understand—all in one package.
Features:
- A summary of Christian doctrine, as well as devotional and instructional materials about the Christian faith
- Study questions that allow you to further examine, reflect upon, and delve into the text
- A study that directs readers directly back to the text of the Large Catechism (not a lesson plan for a teacher)
- Laypeople and students who are looking for a deeper exploration of Luther’s Large Catechism will appreciate this expanded edition. It provides the perfect way to dig deeper, learn, and reflect on Luther’s words in terms that anyone can understand—all in one package.
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1529
117 people are currently reading
392 people want to read
About the author
Martin Luther
5,015 books797 followersMartin Luther (1483-1546) was a German monk, theologian, university professor and church reformer whose ideas inspired the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization.
Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.
Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.
His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.
Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.
Luther's theology challenged the authority of the papacy by holding that the Bible is the only infallible source of religious authority and that all baptized Christians under Jesus are a spiritual priesthood. According to Luther, salvation was a free gift of God, received only by true repentance and faith in Jesus as the Messiah, a faith given by God and unmediated by the church.
Luther's confrontation with Charles V at the Diet of Worms over freedom of conscience in 1521 and his refusal to submit to the authority of the Emperor resulted in his being declared an outlaw of the state as he had been excommunicated from the Roman Catholic Church. Because of the perceived unity of the medieval Church with the secular rulers of western Europe, the widespread acceptance of Luther's doctrines and popular vindication of his thinking on individual liberties were both phenomenal and unprecedented.
His translation of the Bible into the vernacular, making it more accessible to ordinary people, had a tremendous political impact on the church and on German culture. It furthered the development of a standard version of the German language, added several principles to the art of translation, and influenced the translation of the English King James Bible. His hymns inspired the development of congregational singing within Christianity. His marriage to Katharina von Bora set a model for the practice of clerical marriage within Protestantism.
Much scholarly debate has concentrated on Luther's writings about the Jews. His statements that Jews' homes should be destroyed, their synagogues burned, money confiscated and liberty curtailed were revived and used in propaganda by the Nazis in 1933–45. As a result of this and his revolutionary theological views, his legacy remains controversial.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
January 15, 2013
Really good book that explains the basics all Christians need to know and seldom take for granted. Luther takes great pains to explain the basics in sufficient detail and clarity, the only part that i can say sort of lost me was the part on baptism but after reading through it the second time around I was all good.
Great Clarity from the book and the glory must go to God alone who used the man.
Great Clarity from the book and the glory must go to God alone who used the man.
November 21, 2024
A short compendium of what makes Luther great, as well as what makes him not-so-great.
October 25, 2011
This is an excellent book to read along with the Bible. Luther really goes in depth into the Ten Commandments, the Lord's Prayer and the Creed, as well as the meaning behind the Sacraments. Definitely helps to foster a deeper understanding. Will definitely read multiple times.
November 10, 2022
Absolutely astounding. Leaps off the page!
August 13, 2024
Very good. Fantastic pastoral encouragement on the Ten Commandments. His work on baptism and The Eucharist are top notch.
February 22, 2025
Neat and precise. I especially loved the part about the Sacraments.
February 26, 2013
This is an excellent primer for all Christians on the basic supplements to Christian thought and practice. Found within are commentaries to the ten commandments, the apostles' creed, and the sacrements of Baptism and Eucharist. I've read all sorts of adult catechism material but somehow missed this one. I'd love to see an updated version, i.e. Eugene Peterson reworks Luther's Large Catechism.
January 7, 2008
I can't recommend it enough.
Read
March 23, 2011It has great questions and helps.
November 3, 2015
Worth reading regularly. I love Luther's forthrightness. Very helpful and explains the Christian Faith and life in such a way that warms my heart. Thank the Lord for Dr. Luther.
March 10, 2010
Audio book (from librivox.org)
January 11, 2023
This text aims to make the story of the bible inte a set of rules used to align a society,
Which to my understanding was succesful in creating swedish society
It has some profound insights, I used to think this text to be the ultimate rule and ideal for the young religious person participating in religious parties and social settings during the 21th century
I still think this is commendable in some sense, but I have realised that most people are not autonomous thinkers nor are these ideals obvious to the community allthough in name called "Lutheran" with a fancy logo
People are mostly driven by the pervading social trends of the moment. But this ideal was probably infused into my soul by my father, whereas the parents of most modern religious young people do not have parents who share this ethos, they rather just unreflectively participate in the trends of the crowd
However I take some insights from the text- dr Luther claims that there is no so called "salvation" outside the "church" - and the church is defined by a collective of saints (Helgonens menighet, den heliga kristenheten), which excludes people who are lukewarm or false Christians - this has been a major cause of confusion for me as I have regarded mere participation in a religious collective as the definition of church. Now I know that there is no real church except perhaps where 2 or 3 people are gathered in Jesus name which does not happen very often in "church"
Allthough the church is moreover defined by its use of the sacraments, that is, the baptism and eucharist, and in practice also marriage and the priesthood
Now, all these rituals are performed in the above mentioned social institutions, where it still endows the metaphysics of the group with authority, exerting a powerful grip over the conciences of the human beings, causing them to invest their lives, blood, sweat and tears into the percieved calling
However, Luther states about the sacraments, that Accedat verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum - the word must make the element to sacrament, for without, it remains plain and simple element. Therefore, the rituals are mere social constructions insofar that the Word is not properly understood and therefore taught and practiced.
The story of the catechism is that of a vision for the broader collective who by mere social routine attends the religious institutions who are Christian in name; that every person ought to think thoroughly about these practices which is again commendable and better than what is currently practiced. In conclusion, what I take from it, is reversely that the swedish religious movement is severely deluded, and a cause for harm more than good, and perhaps has been since the 19th century.
Which to my understanding was succesful in creating swedish society
It has some profound insights, I used to think this text to be the ultimate rule and ideal for the young religious person participating in religious parties and social settings during the 21th century
I still think this is commendable in some sense, but I have realised that most people are not autonomous thinkers nor are these ideals obvious to the community allthough in name called "Lutheran" with a fancy logo
People are mostly driven by the pervading social trends of the moment. But this ideal was probably infused into my soul by my father, whereas the parents of most modern religious young people do not have parents who share this ethos, they rather just unreflectively participate in the trends of the crowd
However I take some insights from the text- dr Luther claims that there is no so called "salvation" outside the "church" - and the church is defined by a collective of saints (Helgonens menighet, den heliga kristenheten), which excludes people who are lukewarm or false Christians - this has been a major cause of confusion for me as I have regarded mere participation in a religious collective as the definition of church. Now I know that there is no real church except perhaps where 2 or 3 people are gathered in Jesus name which does not happen very often in "church"
Allthough the church is moreover defined by its use of the sacraments, that is, the baptism and eucharist, and in practice also marriage and the priesthood
Now, all these rituals are performed in the above mentioned social institutions, where it still endows the metaphysics of the group with authority, exerting a powerful grip over the conciences of the human beings, causing them to invest their lives, blood, sweat and tears into the percieved calling
However, Luther states about the sacraments, that Accedat verbum ad elementum, et fit sacramentum - the word must make the element to sacrament, for without, it remains plain and simple element. Therefore, the rituals are mere social constructions insofar that the Word is not properly understood and therefore taught and practiced.
The story of the catechism is that of a vision for the broader collective who by mere social routine attends the religious institutions who are Christian in name; that every person ought to think thoroughly about these practices which is again commendable and better than what is currently practiced. In conclusion, what I take from it, is reversely that the swedish religious movement is severely deluded, and a cause for harm more than good, and perhaps has been since the 19th century.
February 13, 2019
Esse catecismo foi escrito com o objetivo de instruir as crianças e as pessoas simples. Ele apresenta como cenário a necessidade de apresentar, em contraste com o catolicismo medieval, uma breve instrução sobre Deus a partir do Credo Apostólico, a santidade expressa nos dez mandamento, a necessidade da oração e como fazê-la a partir da oração do Pai Nosso e sobre os sacramentos. Comparativamente com a primeira edição das Institutas, enquanto a última é mais erudita, longa e referenciada, essa obra é uma instrução mais simples, curta e objetiva, cujo objetivo é estabelecer o básico necessário para o desenvolvimento da vida cristã em amor a Deus, santidade e dependência dele.
November 2, 2024
The premier Bible study guide.
Reformer Reverend Martin Luther brilliantly explains the Christian doctrine in this book to help us understand the deeper meaning of what the Bible teaches us.
I enjoyed the deeper dives into the Ten Commandments especially.
Any Lutheran looking to enhance their knowledge of the Faith, this is a must read for you. And for anyone curious to learn more of the Lutheran/Christian philosophy, this book is also for you.
It will no doubt change your life for the better and help you rid yourself of the Old Adam.
Reformer Reverend Martin Luther brilliantly explains the Christian doctrine in this book to help us understand the deeper meaning of what the Bible teaches us.
I enjoyed the deeper dives into the Ten Commandments especially.
Any Lutheran looking to enhance their knowledge of the Faith, this is a must read for you. And for anyone curious to learn more of the Lutheran/Christian philosophy, this book is also for you.
It will no doubt change your life for the better and help you rid yourself of the Old Adam.
August 7, 2022
I had always wondered why the large catechism was not as accessible as the small, with the small being used in confirmation class. I’m glad that I sought it out to read it. It is certainly appropriate for a parent in thinking about teaching their children. It is a bit more rough and raw, but also somehow conversational (for a German Lutheran!). I do not think it contains deeper content than the small; the main difference appears to be the writing style.
December 25, 2022
I wish I had read this when coming of age and becoming “too smart for my own good” as a student at Duke University when I rejected Christianity. Particularly Luther’s commentary here on the First Commandment. Reading it instead as a late-returning Prodigal, that specific commentary blew open my mind to the crux of the Ten Commandments and of Judeo-Christian faith itself, faithfully and obediently trusting our Creator as our personal and loving Father, thanks to our Lord’s salvation. 🙏🏼
October 25, 2018
Unsurprisingly, this work is a lengthier take on Luther’s Small Catechism, discussing the Ten Commandments, Apostles’ Creed, the Lord’s Prayer, and the sacraments of baptism and communion. Although this work elucidated Luther’s thinking on these topics helpfully, the work as a whole was not substantially more beneficial to read than his small catechism.
November 28, 2019
After reading Metaxes’ biography of Luther, I wanted to read some of Luther’s writing. This one did not disappoint. While some of this book is written against the corruption of his day, I love the simplicity of Luther’s writing and how he spells out what he considers to be the five foundations of our faith: the Ten Commandments, the apostles creed, the Lord’s Prayer, baptism, and communion.
January 31, 2017
I listened to this on LibriVox and found it very edifying. It expounds on Luther's Small Catechism and fills in with further definition of the chief parts of the faith and what parents should teach their children.
Want to read
July 10, 2024QUOTES:
To whatever we look for any good thing and for refuge in every need, that is what is meant by “god.” To have a god is nothing else than to trust and believe in him from the heart… To whatever you give your heart and entrust your being, that, I say, is really your god. (13)
To whatever we look for any good thing and for refuge in every need, that is what is meant by “god.” To have a god is nothing else than to trust and believe in him from the heart… To whatever you give your heart and entrust your being, that, I say, is really your god. (13)
August 1, 2017
I should read more Luther.
The editorial comments are not always helpful.
The editorial comments are not always helpful.
November 4, 2017
Very thorough. The parts a reader would like are highly correlated with their theological persuasions. That being said, my favorite sections were on baptism, communion, and "Thy Kingdom Come".
August 27, 2018
Highly readable!
October 21, 2020
Great stuff. Full of common sense. The world needs a reminder. HIghly recommended!
March 22, 2024
If this wasn't for my faith walk, I'd have put it down. A very hard read. So wordy. Good spiritual insight after you read the same paragraph a half dozen times.
July 12, 2024
Great examination of the basics of the Christian Faith. Goes in detail over some of the essential parts of Christian living.
Read
December 23, 2024Nic dodać nic ująć
September 10, 2023
Absolutny zaklad protestanizmu a suhrn uplnej podstaty Biblie a posolstva Pana Jezisa Krista. Dekalog, Otcenas, Vyznanie vseobecnej viery krestanskej a zopar uzitocnych rad pre kazdu domacnost, ktora chce ist za Bohom. Luther odporuca kazdemu sa ucit naspamat obsah Velkeho Katechizmu a hlavne aby otcovia vstepovali tieto hodnoty v rodinach, v ktorych ziju. Mne osobne pomohlo si zopakovat zaklady nasej evanjelickej cirkvi a potvrdenie protestantskeho sola scriptura, sola gratia, sola fide a solus Christus.
October 20, 2021
Interesting.
September 8, 2024
Easy to read distillation of the theology of Luther.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews